A sweet and sticky Korean-Pinoy exchange
On the last afternoon of July, the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in the Philippines was filled with the enticing aroma of delectable desserts and the hum of excited chatter. This event, reminiscent of Madonna’s Candy Shop, was all about the raw, sticky, and sweet flavors that commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea.
The Philippines-Korea Culinary Heritage Exchange, set within the elegant walls of the KCC building in Fort Bonifacio, was a feast for the senses and a celebration of the deep and enduring friendship between two nations.
Guests were welcomed with yaksik (sweet, sticky rice with nuts considered a “medicinal food” due to its honey content) and misugaru (a roasted grain powder drink dating back to 800 AD, known for its nutritional value and long shelf life, and a popular topping for bingsu (a Korean shaved ice dessert). Misu, which seemed to me like liquid polvoron, is commercially available in most Korean convenience stores.
Madame Lee Eun-hwa, the ever-gracious wife of Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa, opened the affair with a short message for the ladies from the Malaysian Embassy, led by Madame Siti Sadiah Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, and media friends.
Last November, Madame Lee led a kimjang (kimchi-making) workshop at the same venue to celebrate Kimchi Day with members of the ASEAN Ladies Foundation (ALF).
For Wednesday’s event, chef Lily Min—author, author, caterer, TV personality, cooking instructor at KCC, and entrepreneur—took the proverbial kitchen floor to demonstrate how to make gaksaekdanja (assorted round-shaped rice cakes) and ggulseolgi (white rice cake with honey).
What made her creations unique was how she substituted local ingredients for those traditionally used in Korea. For example, she made glutinous rice balls from malagkit found in the neighborhood market or grocery and damong maria (mugwort). For the filling and coating powder, she used ube, pandan, and strawberry. Muscovado sugar replaced honey to sweeten the ggulseolgi, before crushed walnuts were mixed in for additional flavor.
It was obvious from the faces of chef Lily’s “students” that they were excited not only to taste the freshly made delicacies but to get their hands dirty to turn out decent (and edible!) replicas. The ingredients had already been prepared: two kinds of glutinous rice cakes, different fillings rolled into balls, and coating powder for diversity. The finished products went into individual muffin cups that later filled empty gift boxes.
The hands-on session was a hit, with everyone enjoying the tactile experience of whipping up their own desserts and partaking of their masterpieces. For this diplomatic merienda, you could, indeed, have your (rice) cake and eat it, too.
The tutorial didn’t stop there. Along with the gift box came an injeolmi-making kit with instructions on how to wrap it the traditional way. The thoughtfully curated and attractive gifts were perfect souvenirs, allowing the attendees to relive the moment and recreate the magic at home.
Within the lull before the actual merienda storm began, chef Lily’s “Seoul” sister, YouTuber chef Reggie Aspiras, was able to squeeze in a short lesson on how to make Korean-inspired stuffed palitaw balls. Using local galapong, she filled a flattened ball with a mixture of coconut (grated and toasted), nori flakes, crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, sugar, and a dash of salt. The cooked palitaw balls were coated with the same blend.
The afternoon culminated in a delightful teatime featuring an array of pre-prepared Korean and Filipino desserts. Guests were treated to yakgwa (Korean honey pastry), Korean donuts (that’s very similar to the chewy ball-shaped Filipino snack carioca), ssal gangjeong (crunchy rice bars akin to ampaw), and other rice-based sweets.
Traditional drinks such as citronade, omija-hwachae or magnolia berry punch, and sikhye (a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage) proved to be perfect chasers for the carbo-loaded delights. Fans of K-drama might recognize the attractive omija from the hit series Jewel in the Palace and Royal Historian Goo Hae-ryung.
The Filipino desserts and merienda fare on the other table featured more “diabetic’s nightmare” dishes such as assorted rice cakes, puto (imbued with blue pea) paired with sundae dinuguan containing Korean sundae or blood sausage, corn puto (topped with sweet corn and jalapeño caps), puto’t laksa (a layer of inutak covered in laksa). Good thing there was rice coffee and pandan tea to offset all that sugar.
As the event drew to a close and the last bite of rice cake was savored, it was clear that this sticky and sweet exchange was a resounding success. The fusion of flavors and the shared culinary experiences underscored the beauty of cultural exchange and the joy that comes from exploring new tastes together. The event, part of the celebrations of our nations’ 75-year-old friendship, was a testament to the power of food in bridging cultures and fostering understanding, one delicious bite at a time.
